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The cats in my feral colony seem to do as they please and pay little attention to the happenings around them. They will notice any change around the house or around their favorite places to eat and sleep. Though they’ll pop their heads up as I go to the mailbox to get the mail, they can’t be bothered to assist. They’ll glance in my general direction when I’m dragging some limbs or a pile of brush to our back wooded area. Actually, there are very few things that I do that seem to interest them.

It made me wonder: Does your cat share your interests?

Of course, about the time I think I’ve got my cats figured out, they’ll surprise me. One day I decided that the garage needed to be swept out. It had been a few weeks, or possibly months, since a broom had touched the garage floor. There were piles of dust in each corner. Kitty furballs rolled across the floor like a tumbleweeds crossing the prairie. Each time the mowing crew would visit, they insisted on blowing loose leaves, twigs, and dirt back into my garage. I’m not about to tell you that I have a high degree of interest in keeping a neat and tidy garage. It’s somewhere near the bottom of my list, and believe me there is quite a list! However, once I’m in the cleaning groove, I don’t find it all that bad, and I’m glad my cats have someplace clean to eat and rest.

What did surprise me was the interest Momma Kitty showed in me cleaning the garage. I figured the cats would go running for the hills when they saw me take the dust pan and broom from the wall, but Momma Kitty found it fascinating. Instead of running away, she actually moved closer. She lay near one of the garage doors while I swept the dirt out into the driveway. She would then get up and reposition herself to the other doorway while I swept the other side of the garage.

For the final touches, I swept any remaining bits of dust into a dustpan and put it near the bushes in our yard. With each sweep of the broom, she would follow the dust particles, leaves, and fur balls out of the door. She supervised every movement that I made.

Though I’m a pretty good gardener, it also ranks as one of the things I least like to do. My idea of gardening is popping open a beer and watching my wife, Kim, plant flowers in the pots. The typical scenario is driving to the nursery and sitting in the truck listening to the game while Kim selects the flowers. Once home, I’ll unload the plants, place them by the planters, gather the small shovels, drag the potting soil around, dump the dirt in the pot, and then step aside. My wife knows much more than I do about decorating and placing them in a pot to make them look beautiful. If it were left to me, the dirt would go in, a hole would be dug in the middle, and all the plants I could fit would go into the hole. Done!

I always knew my wife was a master gardener, but I didn’t know my cat Ash was also interested in the hobby. As my wife delicately placed the flowers in the planters, he watched every move. He watched her with remarkable interest each time she placed an additional scoop of potting soil in the pot. She would then tap the soil down slightly to make sure all the roots were covered and the soil was smooth and filled to the top of the pot.

He loves watching her during this very precise and delicate process. Once finished, she turned to Ash and asked him if he wanted to help. Without hesitation, he obliged her request by placing his paw in the dirt at the top of the pot. He then gently patted the top of the dirt several times, putting the finishing touches on the project. The official paw of approval!

It’s nice when families can share common interests. It’s even nicer when our furry feline friends want to join in the fun.

Do your cats enjoy your interests? What do you have in common with your cat? Share your stories and pictures in the comments.

About Tim Link: All-American guy who loves to rock out to Queen while consuming pizza and Pinot Noir and prefers to associate with open-minded people who love all critters. Considers himself to be the literal voice for all animals. Author, writer, radio host, Reiki Master, animal communicator and consultant at Wagging Tales.